Wire tab dispenser



April 22, 1958 H. G. STRACHAN WIRE TAB DISPENSER Filed Feb. 17, 1954 JlO l2a4 2 12 I I. I I I I I I7 ATTORNEYS United States Patent O WIRE TABDISPENSER Harry Gray Strachan, Westlake, Ohio Application February 17,1954, Serial No. 410,821 2 Claims. (Cl. 40-2) This invention relates toidentifying means, such as tabs and labels, for electric wire and thelike and more particularly to a card comprising a number of tabs orlabels.

Wire tabs, labels or markers are most commonly used, for example, formarking and identifying wires and circuits in electric wiring systems,cables, or in complex electrical or electronic apparatus or devices.Such markers generally are long and narrow, are provided with onepressure sensitive adhesive side or face, and are printed on theirnon-adhesive face with any desired identifying number, letter or code.The assembly of such wiring systems, apparatus and devices requiresdexterity and much manipulation on the part of the worker, and it istherefore desirable that the markers for identifying the respectivewires and circuits be furnished in a form which will facilitate theselection of the proper marker for each wire or circuit and which willsimplify and expedite the application of the marker to the item to beidentified.

Initially in the prior art such markers were furnished as a part of acontinuous adhesive roll from which each marker was cut off as it wasneeded. This proved extremely inconvenient and tedious for the worker,especially where frequent application 'of markers was necessary. Earlyattempts to solve this problem resulted in the development of a wiretab, label, or marker card comprising a series of transversely extendingadjacent, pressure sensitive markers or labels mounted on a cardboardbacking member. It was not desirable to permit the labels to extendbeyond or terminate along the edge of the backing member because of theprobability of damage to the label or exposure of the adhesive thereonto the deleterious effects of air. The backing member was therefore madeof greater width than the length of the labels. A worker, using such acard, was required to have a pick or pointed tool available for liftingan end of each label as it was needed, so that the end might be graspedand the label or marker removed. This was, 1

also, a slow, ctunbersome procedure and often resulted in damage to themarkers or labels.

Another attempt to provide a satisfactory wire tab, label or marker cardcomprises a series of adjacent pressure sensitive markers mounted on abacking member which extends beyond the ends of the markers or labels. Aconcreted backing member is used and the backing member is scored alonga longitudinal line which underlies the markers. In use, the backingmember is repeatedly bent back and forth along the aforementioned lineuntil it becomes severed into two parts. One part of the back is thenpeeled away exposing the marker ends for grasping and removal. When itis necessary to remove a marker other than the endmost, the back ispeeled away to the desired marker, which is then grasped and removed,and the back is then pressed against and readhered to the ends of theintervening markers.

This card tends to eliminate the necessity of using a pick or pointedtool to remove the marker, but the use of such a card has not provedsatisfactory in'thatthe C ice P tented Apr. 22, 1958 selection of anybut the endmost marker is difficult. Additionally, the adhesive issubjected to the deleterious effects of the air along the line at whichthe back is separated and at the ends of the markers whenever the backis peeled away from more than the endmost one. The repeated separatingand readhering of the marker of label ends to the backing member, wheninner markers are removed, also reduces the adherability of the marker.

It is therefore a general object of my invention to provide a wire tab,label 'or marker card, of improved design, construction and utilitywhich overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages of prior cards. It is afurther general object of my invention to provide a marker card havingcharacteristics which will minimize damage to the individual markers andexposure of the adhesive thereon, to the air during the use, handling,shipping or storage of the card. It is a further object of my inventionto provide a marker card from which the markers may be easily andrapidly removed without the use of a pick or pointed tool and withoutexposing the adhesive of any marker or part thereof to the air prior toremoval. It is a further object of my invention to provide a marker cardfrom which the markers may be indi- -vidually and selectively removedwithout any deleterious effect on intervening or adjacent markers. *Itis a further object of my invention to provide a marker card havingindividual adhesive markers, which terminate in soft, pliable,non-adhesive removable end flaps orgrips which may be easily grasped toremove the respective markers from the card and then may if theworker'so desires be easily removedfrom the marker as the marker isapplied tothe item to be identified. It is a further object of my invention toprovide a marker card from which the individual markers may be removedwithout the use of tools and without scratching or injuring the fingersof the worker. It is a further object of my invention to provide amarker card having marker end flaps or grips which may be variouslycolored to conform with the NEMA color code, therebyproviding anadditional means of identification for each marker.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a marker card havingan improved backing member Which is substantially impervious to air andwhich has excellent adhesive release characteristics and from which theindividual markers may be removed easily and selectively without thenecessity for bending, tearing, perforating or slitting the backingmember. Y

It is a further object of my invention to provide a marker card whichhas the above described characteristics and advantages and which iseconomical to manufacture, convenient to use, and which has a longshelflife.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will appear fromthefollowing description of a preferred embodiment thereof, referencebeing made to the appended drawings. I;

Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a wire marker card embodying myinvention. f

Figure 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken along the line22 of Figure 1 and showing one marker partially removed from the card.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the card shown in Figure 2.

Figure- 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a fied marker card.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective 'viw of the card ofFigure 1.

Figure 6 is a schematic drawing of the marker card with the card partspartially assembled and illustrating the method of manufacturing-themarker card Figure 7 an enlarged fragmentary sect onal view modialongthe line 7-7 of Figure 2 showing the card arrangement in detail.

Referring now particularly to Figures 1, and 6 a preferred form of mywire tab, label or marker card C comprises a main backing member 1 tothe upper surface of which is adhesively and removably secured, aplurality of transversely extending, separately removable markers 2, atthe respective ends of each of which are disposed freely accessibleflaps or grips 3 which are adhesively, and preferably removably securedto the-respective markers but are freely removable from the backingmember 1. In the manufacture of the finished cards C the severalelements may be assembled in the form of continuous longitudinallyextending strips or ribbons as shown in Figure 6 with the lower strip Scomprising the backing members 1 underlying a pair of laterally spacedcontinuous strips or ribbons R and R comprising the flaps or grips 3which .are fed or laid upon the upper, as view in the drawings, marginalportions of the backing member strip S. A confinuous strip or ribbon T,narrower than the strip S is laid on top of and overlies the inner edgeportions of ribbons R and R and strip T and comprises the stock orbacking of the markers. Both edges of the strip T are spaced inwardlyfrom the respective edges of the strip S. The under surface of strip Tis provided with a pressure sensitive adhesive film 5 which, in thefirst instance joins the ribbons R and R and strips S and T together,and ultimately provides the adhesive by which the individual markers aresecured to the items to be identified.

As shown in Figures 2 and 4 the ribbons R and R in the first instanceand the flaps or grips 3 in the final form are secured in the cardassembly by the adhesive film 5 on the inner edge portions of the uppersurfaces of the ribbons R and R and are substantially freely removablefrom the backing member 1 with their marginal edges preferably abouteven with or extend slightly beyond the side edges of the backing member1 for easy gripping and handling by the consumer.

Cards C are formed by cutting the continuous strips and ribbonsdescribed above to appropriate lengths and coincidentally, or at anyappropriate time, the strip T along with the ribbons R are cuttransversely along transverse lines 4, see Figure 1, to define thelateral edges of the separate markers 2 and to facilitate separateremoval of the markers 2 from the backing member 1 of the card C.

The main backing member 1 of card C is preferably made of a relativelystiff material which is substantially impervious to air and moisture andhas an upper surface having good adhesive release qualities whereby toprotect the markers 2 and facilitate individual removal of the same ashereinafter more fully explained. The backing member 1 may for examplecomprise a body portion 6, see Figures 2, 3 and 7, of stout paper, suchas heavy kraft paper, having its upper surface coated with a plasticfilm 7, such as cellulose acetate. The backing member 1 may be of anyconvenient length and width although the width should be greater thanthe length of the individual markers 2 preferably by an amountsufiicient to underlie the exposed or projecting portion of the flaps 3extending outwardly from the markers. so that the ends of the flaps liealong the edge of the backing member. When so made, the backing member 1supports both the markers 2 and flaps 3 and prevents the flaps 3 frombeing separated from the markers and/ or the markers being pulled awayfrom the backing member.

Additionally the flaps 3 prevent air from reaching the adhesive at theends of the labels and causing loss of adhesive characteristics whereadhesion normally is most desired when the label is in use. The kraftpaper has suflicient rigidity and strength to protect the markers 2 andflaps 3 from shipping and handling damage and also facilitates removalof the labels by eliminating the necessity for bending and/or tearingthe backing member during use. The acetate film lengthens the shelf lifeof '4 the card by preventing air from penetrating the backing member 1to the adhesive, has excellent adhesive release qualities facilitatingremoval of the individual marker strips, and does not have surfacefibers which might adhere to the adhesive when the strips are removed.

The body portion 6 of the backing member 1 preferably is provided on itslower face with a film or coating 8 similar to the coating '7. Thisgives the backing member a convenient finish and increasesimperviousness of same to air and moisture.

The strip T from which the markers 2 are formed comprises a pliablestock or backing 9 such as 80-80 cotton cloth having on its lower face,as viewed in the drawings, a pressure sensitive adhesive 5 which aspreviously explained secures the marker to the flap 3 and backing member1 in the first instance and subsequently to the item to be identified.

The markers or labels are printed or stamped on their upper ornon-adhesive face with any desired number, letter or code which servesto identify the item to which the marker or label is ultimately applied.

If desired each marker or label 2 may be lightly scored at or near itscenter, as at 10, Figures 1 and 2, to facilitate separating each labelinto two labels of shorter length, or may be heavily scored to providetwo rows of short labels.

The flaps or grips 3 are made of a soft, pliable, nonfibrous materialsuch a polyvinyl acetate and are secured to the ends of the markers 2, aportion of the flap 3 underlying the end of the marker and beingreleasably held thereto by the adhesive 5. The remainder of the flap 3extends outwardly from the end of the marker and overlies the marginaledge of the backing member 1 and is exposed for easy grasping by theconsumer or worker. The flaps 3 are held fiat against the backing member1 only by the markers 2 and are not otherwise secured or adhered to thebacking member.

The flaps 3 may be made in colors corresponding to the 'NEMA code,thereby providing an additional identifying means for each marker.

In use, the worker may easily remove each individual marker or label 2by grasping and pulling upon a flap 3 secured thereto. Thereafter theflaps may at any time be easily removed from the marker or be allowed toremain attached thereto either to lengthen the marker or serve as anadditional code marker as hereinbefore described. Since each marker 2 isseparate from the adjacent markers and has its own flaps the worker mayselect and easily remove any desired marker or label without disturbingany other and without exposing the adhesive of any other marker to theair. As the flaps 3 are made of a soft and pliable material, removal ofa great many markers by the Worker will not result in irritation to orscratching of the workers fingers.

Thus I have invented a wire tab, label or marker card which not onlyprotects the markers from damage during shipping and handling, but alsopermits the selective removal of any desired marker without the use of apick or pointed tool, without injury to the workers fingers and withoutexposing the adhesive of any marker to the air prior to its removal fromthe card.

A wire tab, label or market card embodying my invention may, forexample, have a backing member 1 9" long, 2" wide and .02" thick,markers 2 about 1 /2" long and A" wide, and polyvinyl flaps 3approximately .41 long, A wide and 0.004" thick. The flaps 3 preferablyextend under the markers 2 approximately /8".

Figure 5 shows an alternate form of a wire tab, marker, or label cardfor use in those instances where a label or marker of full length isdesired. For such use the markers or labels are not scored andaccordingly each marker or label need have a flap 3 at only one of itsends.

Although I have illustrated and described a specific form of myinvention, various changes and modifications will occur to those skilledin the art, all within the precepts of my invention, and I do not careto be limited in the scope of my patent to the precise embodiment hereinparticularly illustrated and described nor in any other mannerinconsistent with the progress by which my invention has promoted theart.

I claim:

1. A wire tab, label or marker card comprising an elongated backingmember, a plurality of separate, adjacent markers coated with pressuresensitive adhesive and detachably secured to said backing memb r and ofless length than the width of said backing :1 her and extendingtransversely thereof and lying within the confines thereof, and aplurality of pliable flaps detachably secured to said markers andsupported by but unsecured to said backing member, one said flapunderlying an end of each said marker and being detachably securedthereto by said adhesive, and extending outwardly from said marker andoverlying said backing member and having its outer end terminating insubstantial alignment with said backing member, the upper side of eachsaid flap being exposed between the end of said marker and the edge ofsaid backing member.

2. A wire tab, label or marker card comprising a backing member and aseries of transversely extending, separate, adjacent, pressure sensitivemarkers detachably se cured to at least one face of said backing member,said backing member comprising a relatively stiff paper-like body havinga cellulose acetate film or coat on said one face thereof, said markerseach comprising a textile backing having a pressure sensitive adhesivecoating on one face thereof adjacent said acetate coated face of saidbacking member for releasably securing said marker to said backingmember, a polyvinyl flap detachably secured to an end of each saidmarker, said backing member being of greater width than the length ofsaid markers and extending beyond the ends of said markers, a portion ofeach said flap being disposed between the backing member and the markerto which it is attached and underlying a portion of said marker andbeing secured thereto by said adhesive, the remainder of each said flapextending therefrom and overlying a marginal portion of said backingmember, said flaps being unattached to said backing member, theoutermost end of each of said flaps being substantially aligned with theedge of said backing member the upper side of each of said flaps beingexposed between the end of said marker and the outermost end of saidflap, and each of said markers being selectively removable from saidbacking member without exposing the adhesive of any other of saidmarkers to air.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,139,377 Mull Dec. 6, 1938 2,248,317 Van Cleef July 8, 1941 2,372,994Welch Apr. 3, 1945 2,434,545 Brady Jan. 13, 1948 2,699,103 StasikewichJan. 11, 1955

